APPA CAS Program User Guide
This guide provides you with documentation, reference guides, and direct links that answer common admissions questions about the APPA CAS Applicant Portal, Configuration Portal, and Outcomes. It also contains resources that may help you work more efficiently throughout your admissions process. If you have additional questions or need further assistance, please contact a member of your account team.
Cycle Timeframes
Applicant Portal
The Applicant Portal opens in late September and closes in early September. You can view the specific cycle dates, including final processing dates (e.g., last date to submit transcripts, last date to request letters of recommendation, etc.), on the APPA CAS Application Cycle Dates page.
Configuration Portal
Between mid-July and mid-September, configurations are entered into the prelaunch environment. The account team and APPIC review submitted configurations in September.
Outcomes
You can view new applicants in late October.
Program Participation Requirements
APPIC requires all programs to designate two contacts at your institution who will receive all communication from APPIC and APPA CAS, including the configuration, application, and Outcomes launch notifications.
Applicant Portal
The first three sections of the APPA CAS application (i.e., Personal Information, Academic History, and Supporting Information) compose the core application. They contain questions that are commonly asked of applicants across all participating programs, such as an applicant's biographic information, standardized test scores, and experiences. The fourth section of the application is Program Materials, which is customized by you through the Configuration Portal (discussed in the next section).
You can access the APPA CAS application and APPA CAS Applicant Help Center to review the applicant experience. You can also create a test application in the Applicant Portal; we recommend creating a new account and adding "test" to your name (e.g., TestJohn TestDoe).
For a general overview of the applicant experience, review the following documents:
- Applicant Processing Reference Guide: learn how applicants move through the application and Liaison processes applicant materials, such as transcripts and official test scores.
- Application Statuses Reference Guide: review what each application status means and how you can interact with applicants at different stages.
- Review the requirements for the APPA CAS Complete application status.
- APPA CAS Quick Start Guide and FAQs: a suggested timeline for completing and submitting the application, links to important pages including cycle dates and fees, and a FAQs section.
You can direct any applicant inquiries related to the application to APPA CAS Customer Service.
Configuration Portal
Use the Configuration Portal Quick Start Guide to make sure you configure your program(s) efficiently and completely in the prelaunch environment. Be sure to check out your CAS's configuration options and review the best practices found throughout. If any optional sections of the application are required for your program (e.g., experiences, test scores, etc.), you'll want to note this on your program home page.
Once you've configured your program, you'll need to have it approved by the account team and APPIC before it is available to applicants. If your program is reviewed after the cycle launches, APPIC will approve it.
Outcomes
Review the Outcomes Help Center for any questions related to working in Outcomes.
- Working with the Dashboard: the Dashboard in Outcomes is the landing page where you arrive after logging in.
- Navigating the Applications Grid: the Applications section is the central hub for viewing, editing, and processing applications to any of your programs.
- Navigating an Application: review your applications and learn how to edit the layout of this page.
- Working with Segments: segments are groups of applications or contacts that meet a specific set of criteria you’ve established through filters. You can use Segments to move applicants into the correct Phase.
- Working with Phases: use Phases to organize applicants, corresponding with their current status with your institution.
The Release Notes feature new enhancements in Outcomes, in addition to upcoming training opportunities.
For any questions, contact the Client Support Specialist Team.
Cycle Enhancements
2024-2025
The table below contains enhancements for APPA CAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.
|
Portal |
Section |
Enhancement Details |
Implementation |
Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Biographic Information |
The Gender Identity question was removed. The Pronouns question was updated to If you would like, please share your pronouns (e.g., they/them/their). Text box answers are limited to 49 characters. The Former Name question was updated. Additionally, a new Chosen Name question was added. A new Birth Information question block is available and requires applicants to report only their date of birth. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Contact Information |
A Secondary Email field was added. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Other Information |
The Academic Infraction question was removed. A new Language Proficiency question was added. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Citizenship Information |
The Citizenship Information questions were updated. Additionally, if applicants are not eligible to work in the United States or Canada, they can explain their situation more thoroughly in a new essay field. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Personal Information – Professional Conduct |
The following new questions were added:
|
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Academic History – Colleges Attended |
The Colleges Attended section was renamed to Colleges & Universities Attended. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Academic History – Dissertation |
The Dissertation section was renamed to Graduate School Details. A new Doctoral Degree Institution question block was added with the following questions:
|
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Supporting Information – Achievements |
The Achievements section was removed. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Supporting Information – Internships and Doctoral Programs |
The questions in this section were reorganized. Additionally, the Organization question block was renamed to Internship Training and the Internship Details question was removed. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Supporting Information – Presentations and Publications |
A new Presentations and Publications section was added. This section now includes questions that were previously in the Other Information and Achievements sections. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Program Materials – Recommendations |
Applicants can create a custom recommender pool, where they enter a recommender’s information once and then select the recommender for any programs that they apply to. This enhancement alleviates the applicant burden of entering recommender information for every program and speeds up the application process. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Liaison Outcomes |
Account Emails |
The activation emails when creating a new account were updated for clarity. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Liaison Outcomes |
Dashboard |
The APPA CAS name is listed in the top left corner to help clarify which CAS you're working on in Liaison Outcomes. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Liaison Outcomes |
Application and PDF |
The GDPR question and applicant responses are removed from Liaison Outcomes. Applicants are still required to answer it.
|
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
WebAdMIT |
Dashboard |
A message alerts users that WebAdMIT should only be used for configuration/reconfiguration and that applications must be reviewed in Liaison Outcomes. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
2023-2024
The table below contains enhancements for APPA CAS for the cycle timeframes noted at the top of this page. Note that some sections have multiple enhancements. If an action is required by participating programs to use the enhancement, click the links under Enhancement Details to learn more. Additional enhancements may have been automatically released; review the Release Notes to learn more.
|
Portal |
Section |
Enhancement Details |
Implementation |
Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Applicant Portal |
Account Information |
The European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) is a legal framework that sets guidelines for the collection and processing of personal information of individuals within the European Union. The GDPR question explains the information we collect and how we use their information. Users located in a European Union country, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, or Switzerland must opt into our policies when creating an account. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Dashboard |
A new notification banner is available for the application dashboard. CASs can share best tips and tricks with applicants as they complete their applications. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Application Fees |
Application fees are reduced to $0 for the next two cycles to reduce applicant barriers and encourage applications. |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Applicant Portal |
Supporting Information – Internships and Programs |
The "If you indicated that your doctoral internship program provided you training in a recognized specialty area, please indicate the level of education and training you received in that specialty area" question was removed. Additionally, the Internship Description question was updated to "Internship Description (list training experiences or direct the reviewer to your vita.)" |
No action required by participating programs to use this enhancement. |
Available at cycle launch |
|
Configuration Portal |
Program Details |
A user at your institution must enter their name and email for each program you offer. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available now |
|
WebAdMIT |
Liaison Outcomes |
First cycle using Outcomes. |
Action required by all participating programs. |
Available at cycle launch |